Central SA
Northern Cape police investigate fatal bus accident─── ZENANDE MPAME 16:22 Thu, 31 Jul 2025
Northern Cape police are investigating a culpable homicide case following a fatal bus accident on the N12 between Britstown and Victoria West.
Of the 42 passengers travelling from Johannesburg, two men and two women died instantly.
Eight people sustained serious injuries, including a baby girl, and 30 sustained minor injuries. The driver of an Intercity bus allegedly lost control of the vehicle at around 05:20 on Thursday (31/7), which subsequently overturned at a bridge.
A second Intercity bus was dispatched to transport passengers who were able to continue their journey. “The cause of the accident is under investigation,” said Northern Cape police spokesperson Cherelle Ehlers.
In 2017, one soldier died and four were critically injured when a military bus overturned on the N12 about 20km from Victoria West. The bus was carrying 43 military members and was en route to Saldanha for a soccer tournament when the driver lost control of the vehicle.
In 2012, 17 people were injured when a bus crashed into an overturned truck between Britstown and Victoria West. The accident occurred about 10km from Britstown.
Police discovered a significant amount of mandrax and tik. Photo: Supplied/Northern Cape SAPS
The truck, which was transporting steel, overturned and obstructed the road. The bus then ran into the truck, injuring 15 passengers and seriously injuring the bus and truck drivers.
Meanwhile, a woman (43) will appear in the Britstown Magistrate’s Court soon for being in possession of drugs worth R750,000.
The woman (43) was allegedly travelling by bus from Cape Town to Britstown overnight.
Police were alerted to the woman who was suspected of transporting drugs, and a description of both the suspect and the vehicle was circulated to them.
“A bus matching the description stopped in Britstown around 04:00 (on Thursday morning), the suspect who fit the description was seen disembarking from the bus,” said Northern Cape police spokesperson Molefi Shemane.
“Officers stopped and searched her luggage, and they discovered a significant quantity of mandrax tablets and a plastic bag containing tik, with an estimated street value of R750,600.”
